The Dominion has been torn apart by betrayal—the likes which had never been seen before—and civil war reigns. Brother wars against brother as factions vie for control, and the losses are staggering. For the Espinoza clan, the war within the Dominion of Man has taken a far more personal turn. A horrible truth has been revealed at last, and the surviving members of the family battle the rising tide of betrayal and hopelessness. Blood has been spilled, and the only response is to take blood in return. For every member of the family, the shadow of war against their kin is out in the open. From the shattered cities on Belleza Sutil to the still-smoldering throne world of the Dominion itself, the cardinal Espinoza rule is still the same: Above all else, family remains. But can even family survive when all hope seems lost?